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I admit. I regularly need an affordable romantic Singapore restaurant. There are plenty of restaurant guides out there that offer you exquisitely romantic restaurants; if you are willing to spend an arm and a leg.

If like me, you regularly need a more affordable dining option yet still cosy enough for a romantic date, this guide is for you. Especially as a first date, you definitely don’t want to break the bank, but still want to impress with your knowledge and selection of intimate dining spots.

For Valentine’s day couples who don’t want to go all crazy on caviar, champagne and lavish dinners as well — these restaurants are just for you. The restaurants listed here will set you back in the range of $30 – $60per person if you plan properly and don’t order the Dom Perignon.

Fresh, hand-made pasta, Pasta Brava is an amazing Italian restaurant with very classic Italian interiors. They also provide crayons to doodle on the white tablemat while waiting for your food! More fun for your dinner date; you can play Pictionary if you run out of things to say.

Definitely try the different kinds of pasta here. The Linguine Regina Del Mare ($23) is recommended if you like tomato-based seafood pasta.

The risottos are also really well executed and not too gruel-like. Try the Risotto Nero Alla Sinfonia Dei Nostri Mari ($23), which is a seafood and squid ink risotto.

2. Club Street Social

Any place that serves all-day breakfast items is fine with me. Scrambled Eggs, Fontina, Chives and Toast ($12) is an excellent choice to savour their runny and creamy eggs. Club Street Social is quite intimately small and transforms into a more bustling drinking hole at night.

The sandwiches are also recommended, such as the 180g Black Angus Ribeye Panini ($28) and the Duck Confit with Roasted Mushrooms Panini ($20), which are pretty affordable. Limited seatings though, so try to make a reservation beforehand. You’ll want to look really prepared and with a plan to impress your date.

3. Akashi

If you like casual Japanese food and want to avoid the mass-market Sushi Tei, Akashi is the indie version to go to. A bustling restaurant, choose Akashi if you don’t want to have awkward silences during your date.

The set varieties served here are of good quality and affordably priced. Try the Sushi Tsuki($16 lunch, $20 dinner) set that comes with an assortment of sushi, such as salmon, tuna and tamago. It is really worth its price. The Otsukuri set ($26 lunch, $29 dinner) is also decent with slices of quality sashimi, including salmon, tuna and yellowtail, along with some nigiri rolls, miso soup and a side.

4. L’Entrecote: The Steak and Fries Bistro

L’Entrecote at The Heeren, in particular, has an industrial-chic ambience with lavish-looking red table settings for that romantic vibe. The Duxton outlet, on the other hand, is a much smaller and quaint, and seats are a lot harder to book here due to its size.

For mains, this Parisian bistro steakhouse, much like Les Bouchons, only serves one item: Entrecote Steak and Fries ($29.90), which comes drizzled in a secret house sauce and a serving of golden shoestring fries. You can also get the large portion at $39.90 if the regular is too small. Besides the steak, I would also go for the French Escargots de Bourgogne ($16), for a distinctively French dinner.

5. Trapizza

A casual, pizzeria overlooking the sea, this is for the beach-loving couples. The open-air layout lets you enjoy the cool sea breeze while dining on a selection of wood-fired thin crust pizza and pasta dishes. You can take a stroll on the beach after dinner like in the movies too!

The signature 12-inch Pizza Siciliana ($23.90) comes with sausages, olives and capsicum, while the Seafood linguine ($22.90) is also something to savour while enjoying the amazing view. The alcohol tends to be on the high side though, and travelling all the way to Sentosa might not be the best idea for a first date, but definitely as a second or third date option.

6. Les Bouchons (Club St)

This small and quaint diner spot will transport you to Paris through its doors. The 300g Grilled Ribeye with Vigneron Butter ($36.80) is juicy and comes with a nice charred top, which is already more than enough to eat along with free-flow fries. Note: Parisian style steak is always one degree rawer than usual, so if you want a medium-rare steak, ask for medium doneness and so on.

Add an appetizer, such as the Burgundy Escargot with Garlic Butter($18) if you want more variety. An affordable yet really good steak restaurant date.

7. PS Cafe at Palais Renaissance

Already having five branches, PS Cafe continues to create chic, classy cafe settings that are just dreamy to visit. The interior is also intimately lit and guaranteed to stir the romance in the air. I chose this branch to feature because it is conveniently located in town.

PS Cafe is well-known for its Truffle Shoestring Fries ($15), which is very generous in portion and truffle oil. The Crab Tart ($32), served with prawn bisque cream, lemon-dressed greens and harissa is also a hot favourite that sells out frequently.

Top off dinner with the Sticky Date ($14.90), which has butterscotch as well as vanilla ice cream to pair with the warm pudding.

8. Da Paolo Ristorante (Club St)

Opened since 1989, this is where Da Paolo began as a modest, casual Italian-style Trattoria. Aiming to serve honest and straightforward food, Da Paolo has grown into different styles of bistros, bars, pizzeria and even do catering now.

A cosy, small setting suitable for small talk and flirting over good food. Try the Caprese ($18), which is a burrata Italian cheese salad and the Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia ($27), an oceanic, heavy flavoured squid ink pasta. The creamy Risotto di Spinaci con Aragosta ($28) is well-executed and nicely flavoured with lobster bisque and slipper lobster meat.

Opened by Chef Peter Neo, the highlights are definitely the Italian food that Pietro Ristorante serves. Its uniqueness lies in the fresh quality ingredients and original homemade sauces used in each dish. The pizzas are certainly a must-try, cooked straight from the red wood-fired oven, which is lovely to watch as the chef bakes them before your eyes. Thetasty Pizza Pietro ($26) has 1-for-1 promotions, so it’s really an amazing deal to snag.

Besides offering a wide affordable range of pizzas, Pietro’s menu also consists of tantalizing appetizers, soups, risotto, and a sumptuous variety of pasta, and not forgetting classy desserts and wine. The Linguine al Cartoccio ($26) is a spicy crayfish pasta which also has a 1-for-1 deal, and a recommended try.

10. Rider’s Cafe

Serving contemporary comfort food right next to the Bukit Timah Saddle Club, Riders Cafe is a popular spot for brunch while admiring the majestic horses. A secluded find that has a certain charm amongst all the serene greenery. It gets really packed over the weekend nonetheless, where brunch ends at 3pm, so make reservations.

Try the Pacific Benedict ($16) with swimmer crab, poached eggs and Spinach and Shrimp Hollandaise for a more oceanic flavour rather than the usual eggs benedict.

It’s pretty casual here but quite a nice spot for a date away from the buzz of the city.

11. Platypus Kitchen (Bugis)

Platypus Kitchen believes that gourmet dining should be affordable and accessible to everyone. Hence, the restaurant at Bugis Junction is highly accessible and can cater to a mass number of patrons. Impress your date with good food, and be able to comfortably take the bill like a boss.

The cuisine is inspired by the Mediterranean Sea and contains no added preservatives or additives. Supposedly having the widest selection of kinds of pasta and risottos in Asia, try the Truffle Carbonara Tagliatelle ($16.50), which has double-smoked bacon in a creamy truffle egg-yolk sauce. The Pressed Pork Belly ($19.90) is also wonderfully tender served with braised apple and a clove apple glaze.

Date night is a big thing for any couple given our busy schedules in Singapore and all the more something to look forward to. One Bistro Wine Bar is a hidden gem in the East that you can bring your loved one to for a little escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The Prawn Aglio Olio ($18) is one of the signature dishes, and it’s immediately obvious why; plump and juicy prawns are tossed in linguine and a spicy and garlicky homemade pesto that I wish I could bottle and take home with me.

13. Longtail Asian Brasserie & Bar

Longtail Asian Brasserie & Bar is complete with a bay view to impress your date. Situated at Customs House, the restaurant offers a unique take on Asian cuisine. Expect Asian touches to spaghetti, pork knuckle and many more.

Are you one of them tired souls that are sick of all the modern European or Italian cuisine and all you really want is a good plate of Asian persuasion? The Grandma Chicken Rice ($20) with lean chicken breast is stewed for three hours in a secret chicken broth, topped with fried egg & Chinese pork sausage.